Air France, Lufthansa, and Etihad have recently come under fire for their advertisements, which have been deemed misleading by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). These ads suggested that the airlines were making significant strides in environmental protection, a claim that the ASA has disputed.

Air France’s advertisement stated its commitment to environmental protection, while Lufthansa encouraged passengers to fly more sustainably. Etihad used the term “environmental advocacy” in its ad. However, the ASA argued that these ads failed to accurately represent the environmental impact of air travel.

In response to the ASA’s investigation, both Lufthansa and Etihad removed their ads. Air France, however, did not provide a substantial response to the investigation and did not comment when approached by the BBC.

The ASA expressed concern that Air France’s claim of enabling people to “travel better and sustainably” could lead customers to believe that air travel with the airline was environmentally friendly, which is not the case.

Lufthansa defended its use of the phrase “fly more sustainably”, explaining that it referred to its “Green Fares” option for European flights. This option includes the use of some sustainable aviation fuel and contributes to climate protection projects. Lufthansa also shared its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and confirmed that it would remove the phrase “fly more sustainably” from future ads.

Etihad Airways responded to the complaint by promptly removing all references to “environmental advocacy” from its paid Google search ads. The airline emphasized that sustainability is a key priority.

The ASA identified these misleading ads using an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to detect potential rule violations. This is not the first time Lufthansa has been reprimanded by the ASA for greenwashing.

In March, Lufthansa’s Make Change Fly campaign was criticized for misleading consumers into believing that the airline had already taken significant steps to reduce its environmental impact. The ASA upheld its decision, stating that air travel produces high levels of both CO2 and non-CO2 emissions, contributing significantly to climate change.

This ruling is the latest in a series of decisions by the ASA against greenwashing. Since 2021, numerous companies, including Persil, HSBC, Shell, Innocent, Oatly, Golden Leaves, and JC Atkinson & Son, have had their ads banned.

With increasing pressure on companies to reduce carbon emissions, airlines are under particular scrutiny. In November, the first transatlantic flight powered solely by sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) flew from London to New York. This was seen as a demonstration of the potential for greener air travel. However, SAF currently accounts for less than 0.1% of global aviation fuel consumption, and there are no dedicated commercial plants in the UK.

The UK government plans to mandate that 10% of aviation fuel be SAF by 2030.

Disclaimer: This news is sourced from official reports.